By Kirstin Greaney-Stanger, Deputy Fire Marshal
This month, we are going to take a look back at the Valley Parade Stadium fire that occurred in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England, on Saturday, May 11, 1985.
The Valley Parade Stadium fire has been identified as one of Britain’s worst sporting disasters. I know this fire did not occur here in the United States, but like many significant fires that we may be more familiar with, such as MGM Grand, The Cocoanut Grove, and Station Night Club, the Valley Parade Stadium fire has lessons that we can learn from to help prevent an event like this from happening in our own hometown.
What we know about the Valley Parade Stadium is that the stadium held up to 18,000 spectators. The stadium was built in 1911, and the main stand was unaltered. The stands were constructed of wood bleachers that did not have a grandstand as the bleachers were erected on the side of a hillside. The emergency exits were at the top and back of the stand. There was also a gap behind the seats that caused a buildup of litter that was not routinely cleaned out. The football club received a warning from the county commission in 1984, stating the buildup of litter had to be rectified because it created a fire threat if an improper cigarette was discarded. The stadium’s main stand was in turn condemned but the football club continued to use it through the 1985 season; the main stand was set to be torn down and replaced with steel two days after the fire.
On the day of the fire, the fire was observed three rows from the back of block G. The fire brigade was called at 3:43 PM, and by the time the fire brigade arrived four minutes later, the entire stand was engulfed in flames. The fire claimed a total of 56 lives and injured 265. The fire and large loss of life contributed to the high amount of combustible material under the stand, no fire extinguishers, flammable felt material used on the bleachers and roof, and exits being locked to prevent unauthorized entry.
Today, the International Fire Code has the following codes to help prevent a tragedy like this from happening again.
International Fire Codes:
- Section 304.1 Waste accumulation prohibited.
- “Combustible waste material creating a fire hazard shall not be allowed to accumulate in buildings or in structures on upon premises.”
- Section 903.2.1.5 Group A-5 (automatic sprinkler systems)
- “An automatic sprinkler system shall be provided for all enclosed group A-5 accessory use areas in excess of 1,000 square feet.”
- Section 906.3 Size and distribution.
- “Maximum distance of travel to a fire extinguisher is 75 feet.”
- Section 1032.2 Reliability. (Means of Egress)
- “Required exit accesses, exits and exit discharges shall be continuously maintained and free from obstructions or impediments to full instant use in the case of a fire or other emergency…”
International Building Code:
- Section 1505.1 General (Fire Classification)
- “…roof assemblies and roof coverings required to be listed by this section shall be tested in accordance with ASTM E108 or UL790.”
If you or your department needs assistance with risk reduction ideas or have code questions, please feel free to reach out to the North Dakota State Fire Marshal’s office, and we’ll be happy to help you.
Sources used for the Bradford City stadium fire: